commencer at A1 — the present tense (the ç rule)
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One form of this verb grows a cedilla. Here is why.
Starting things
commencer is regular except for a spelling rule you can see and hear. French c is hard before a, o and u. Since the nous ending is -ons, plain « commencons » would be pronounced “commenkons”. To keep the soft sound, French writes nous commençons.
This is not an irregularity — it is spelling protecting pronunciation. Every -cer verb does it: placer, avancer, lancer. Learn the rule once and you have the whole family.
💡 Focus at this level: Basics — starting, and the cedilla
👨🏫 How to use « commencer » at this level
1. ç only before a and o. « nous commençons », « je commençais ».
2. No ç before i or e. « nous commencions » keeps the plain c.
3. The rule is about sound, not grammar. Say it aloud and it explains itself.
🎮 Practise « commencer »
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